Just the other day, the winds were gusting in excess of 120 kilometres/hour — but people in this region did not seem to even notice — just going about their daily business like nothing was happening.
Atlantic Canadians, if nothing else, are never phased by a “little wind.” It is just another example of the often harsh realities of living in this neck of the woods. And no other industry is forced to deal with these climatological extremes more than the fishery.
Everyone involved with the fishery knows that unpredictable weather, high winds and rough seas make the industry one of the most dangerous professions in the world. But the ever-apparent danger extends well beyond weather conditions. Fishermen continue to be put at risk and in some extreme cases pay the ultimate price, as a result of unsafe fishing practices, leading to the sobering words nobody wants to hear on a vessel: man overboard.
A recent report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) clearly demonstrated the tragic events that can occur following mistakes on deck.
On November 30, 2015, a deckhand on the lobster boat Cock-a-Wit Lady, out of Clark’s Harbour, N.S., died after going overboard.
The TSB reported that the deckhand, a veteran of eight years on the boat, made a brief mistake that killed him two-and-a-half hours into the trip — a lobster trap got stuck on a port-side railing and he attempted to free it with his feet. He stepped into coils of rope attached to several traps and was hauled quickly over the stern when it was freed.
“The deckhand was still standing in the coil of rope, and when it became taut, he was carried overboard and underwater by the weight and momentum of the traps,” the TSB report said.
About 10 minutes after he went underwater, the deckhand was brought back up, but he no longer had a pulse. The crew was unable to resuscitate him.
Unfortunately, such on-deck, fatal accidents are far too common. In fact, the TSB has reported that 55 people died after falling overboard on Canadian fishing vessels between 1999 and August 2015.
The tragic incidents include:
- A fisherman was pulled overboard by the lobster traps he was setting onboard L’Echo des Mers I near L’Etang-du-Nord, QC, on May 21, 2011.
- A deckhand on a herring punt was caught in a rope and dragged overboard while setting crab traps near the mouth of the Fraser River, April 27, 2013.
- A crew member went overboard when he became entangled in a groundline while setting prawn traps on the fishing vessel Diane Louise on June 6, 2014.
- A crew member was hauled overboard while setting turbot gillnets on the fishing vessel Lady Jenna II off Cape Bonavista, N.L., on June 20, 2014.
- A crew member was knocked overboard when stacked lobster traps fell onto the main deck of Four Ladies 2003 on March 9, 2015.
And this chilling list, unfortunately, could go on. Every fisherman can recount a tale of an able-bodied deckhand either having a harrowing close call or losing their life after going overboard.
Is there some remedy to cutting down on the number of fishermen going over the side, or is it just a reality of the inherent dangers of working on the water?
The TSB pulls no punches, stating that the fishing industry has issues with unsafe operating practices and crew training nationwide. “Despite many safety initiatives, unsafe practices continue in the fishing industry,” it stated.
“Concerted and coordinated action is required by federal and provincial authorities, by leaders in the fishing community and by fishermen themselves to put in place strong regional initiatives and develop a sound safety culture in the fishing community,” it said.
The TSB said the crew of the Cock-a-Wit Lady did not perform emergency drills before lobster season began and had no safety meetings to prepare for potential problems.
“On the day of the occurrence, as it was the first day of the lobster season, the crew was concerned with moving quickly: all vessels leave port at the same time and there is competition for the preferred fishing areas, although it was commonly known and understood by the crew that stepping in the coils of rope was a significant safety risk and should not be done, this was not reinforced or addressed by regular safety meetings,” the TSB concluded.
Now, on July 17, the Federal Government’s new Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations will come into force. The new fishing vessel safety regulations, that many feel are being rushed into existence, will require, among other things, smaller vessels to have written safety procedures, training and drills in an effort to improve overall safety in the fishing industry.
The new Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations are a result of extensive consultation with stakeholders, including fishing vessel owners, provincial and territorial safety groups and representatives of fishing safety associations from coast to coast to coast.
The rationale for the new legislation stemmed from the fact that despite the combined efforts of government and industry, the number of accidents on fishing vessels remains unacceptably high. The lack of adequate safety equipment, vessel stability and safety procedures onboard fishing vessels continue to pose a serious threat to safety.
As well, the previous Small Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations were more than 40 years old and have not kept pace with industry best practices and new technologies.
While the implementation of new fishing vessel safety rules and regulations is good in principle, actions always speak louder than words. Let’s hope this refocusing of onboard safety procedures will lead to fewer fishermen going overboard, because the loss of a single life is a tragedy, but the deaths of 55 individuals is a chilling reality that needs to be addressed and dealt with.
